I think that this period of immediate crisis has passed to the degree that its time to get things back in order. I don’t really think that I should be driving. I lost the ability to concentrate well enough to read or watch TV. My friend and I have identified that as a warning sign that brain failure is imminent. We both know how to read. If we can’t read, then something is awry.
Sleep is critical. If I loose the brain, then I can’t feel my body anymore and I don’t know whats up with the diabetes because everything just feels ‘off.’ High risk of critical failure.
The mission now: Sleep.
I am re-posting @Jen’s video. Its the best post I have seen of late, lol!
Some of my getaways in past years were to binge-watch movie adaptations of broadway musicals. But this year my getaway is SKA-CORE. How did I not know there was a crossover between hardcore punk and ska until this past week?
I wonder if it’s not related to the major events happening…even when it was “just” the virus I have noticed less brain power myself. I have two very healthy younger sisters (50 and 54) who are avid readers and have lost interest. For me, also an avid reader and enjoy a good tv show have lost interest or more to the point my attention doesn’t hold. So it may not just be you and aging brain…A kind of stress response? Brain wants quiet time?
I don’t think quarantine is good for my brain. Especially when there are “things” going on out there. I think my brain needs to be out there doing things and talking to people.
I just ordered a grilled cheese and french fries and ate it on an outdoor sidewalk. It did wonders for morale. I haven’t had a real meal in over 3 months. People stared at me while I ate it. I know I looked like a werewolf eating it. If anyone came near me or tried to take it away, I would have growled and bit them. I will remember that sandwich for the rest of my life. It was glorious.
@Tim12, what are you considering? I have not even reached that point yet, of considering the future. Seems like such a stretch to me, still, to imagine a future. How can you even predict what will happen next?
I survive the allergies every year. No problem for me, I’ll get through it.
Now the lockdown, that has a big effect on my 3 kids. (2 of them home from college, third in high school). I do my best to keep them safe but each is dealing with separation from school and friends in a different way and each having some problems.
I have felt “OFF” since May 8th. This is will be a LONG post, but feel the need to give background before I go into everything we’ve attempted along the way. So if anyone wants to bail now…now’s your chance!!!
I fell on May 8th. I was working from home. I was on my lunch break and I was walking into the kitchen to change the batteries out in my vape before clocking back in. I had my vape in my right hand (yes this matters). I walked MAYBE 10 feet and started staggering like a drunk person. I tried catching my balance, but to my dismay I ended up falling backwards landing on my elbow and my back. I landed so hard that it knocked my glasses off my head and onto the floor and my vape flew back the 10 feet I had just walked.
I noticed chest PRESSURE (not pain…the only pain was from my elbow). I still could not get my balance to stand. I literally crawled into my bedroom. Got on the bed and sent a message to my supervisor that I had just fallen and was trying to get in touch with my husband. That I felt like I needed to go to Urgent Care. I had to leave a message for my husband, so I sat here…alone…in pain with chest pressure. I was not going to attempt to move. My husband works an hour away, but when he got my message to call home he said he was leaving work and would be here as soon as he could. While I waited…I checked my blood sugar - it was normal (so that didn’t cause the dizziness). I checked my blood pressure - it was normal…I checked my oxygen saturation - it was normal. I have NO IDEA what caused the dizziness.
ER diagnosis: Peripheral Vertigo…use walker for steadiness. Chest pressure not caused by heart attack. Was put on Meclizine for the dizziness.
FAST FORWARD - I’ve had multiple Dr.'s appointments…dizziness no better and chest pains come and go. I first was referred to physical therapy and a cardiologist first. Went to my appointment with physical therapist and found out it wouldn’t be a copay…it’s going against my $2500 deductible and I’m going to have to pay $100/visit (um…NO…can’t afford that!!!). So paid my $100 for initial diagnostics. PT did a lot of maneuvers to try to recreate the dizziness. One maneuver on my neck where he moved my head all the way to the right as far as it goes caused my left eye to be very blurry. I was then told there was some sort of rare condition called Vertebral Artery Occlusion that may be a possibility. Once I mentioned this to my PCP I was informed that it was so rare that there wasn’t a lot of information on treatment for that and that they wanted to continue to exhaust all efforts of causes.
Went to see Cardiologist - had EKG done (nurse asks if my heart rate always ran that high). Cardiologist came in and began asking questions but he was sitting in front of a computer and not doing any sort of examination. Yes, there’s history of heart disease and death from a heart attack in my biological family history. He mentions something about a Calcium report I’d had done at some point that was 0. (No clue what that was about). He asks a few more questions from behind his desk - including it I’d been referred to an ENT yet. (At that time no I hadn’t). THEN he came over and listened to my heart. Went back to his desk and as he was saying he didn’t feel like it was anything heart related and that he could order two tests for confirmation - an Echocardiogram and have me wear a heart monitor for a few days. I wore the heart monitor over Memorial Day weekend and returned it the following Tuesday morning.
Fought HIGH blood sugar ALL weekend this past weekend. Went through double the amount of insulin in 24 hours than I normally would! Was still battling it on Monday when I went in for my Echocardiogram. The first thing the tech said to me was, “Wow, your heart rate is up this morning!” I informed her that I was also having chest pain. (This time it was definite pain, it was not the pressure I’d felt before.) She asked if she needed to get me to the ER and I advised I’d be okay. That we were trying to determine the cause for my dizziness and that Dr. Asad didn’t seem to think it was heart related that this was precautionary. I made a little bit of small talk ('cause I still feel odd with my upper half of my body exposed to a stranger while they run a wand thingy under and over my boob) and told her about how my diabetes had been giving me fits all weekend. That’s when she said, “My husband has diabetes and heart issues. Used to when his heart would be causing him problems his numbers would go wonky too.” Hmm…now I begin questioning…is she seeing something on the ultrasound that she CAN’T tell me but she’s alluding to something? I’m REALLY on edge. I’m not sleeping good. The chest pain still comes and goes and I don’t follow up with the cardiologist until next Tuesday.
After my Echocardiogram I went to my PCPs office to discuss my blood sugar, my theory on my dizziness and see what she wants to do next. Was changed to Fiasp to see if my body responded better to it than Novolog. It had to be ordered from my pharmacy so I just began taking it today. She also asked about my Echo and told her the only thing I knew was that she said my rates were running high (and I did find out the spread of how high…88 bpm to 144bpm). Told her my theory of dizziness - BLOOD PRESSURE DROP!!! She asked if Dr. Asad had done a test to check that. I advised nothing was really done with Dr. Asad except him listening to my heart and him talking to me and him ordering those tests. So we checked my theory…yes, my blood sugar drops more than a bit…it dropped about 20 points on top and about 15 points on bottom, however she didn’t feel it was drastic enough to cause the prolonged dizziness. So now she thinks it may be inner ear related and I’m being referred to an ENT.
On a good note - I started Omnipod on Tuesday and my blood sugars seem to be leveling out again. We’re still having to toy with my basal to get it set right. I went through 200 units in about 24 hours yesterday between basal and boluses.
Ok…I’m sure I’ve bored everyone that has read this to tears - and you’re sick of hearing about it…so I’m going to maybe attempt to get some sleep - assuming I can.
200 units is a lot. I don’t know what to make of that,
If you feel dizzy, sit down. If you still feel dizzy, lay down. Be very, very careful when you stand up because that tends to be when people pass out. You want to do that very, very slowly with help from someone else.
Consider scheduling with the Mayo. Somethings not cool.
Don’t be afraid to call 911. It is always OK to call 911.
I am still trying to find the right basal rate. I’ve been working with my trainer for the Omnipod Dash. My Dr. originally ordered 150u daily. I’m using 200u every 24 hours still. I was off of insulin for about a year due to not having insurance coverage and not being able to afford any meds. Came off pump and everything. In Jan of 2019 I was taking 90u of Lantus in the AM and 90u of Lantus in PM roughly 12 hours apart as well as 15u of Humalog at every meal.
I just started back on insulin in April so we’re still “playing” with the right dosages. I literally just found my medication list in my old purse so I could tell my trainer where I was a year ago. I have a meeting with her at 11 tomorrow morning. I’m currently at 4.4u/hr and STILL having to bolus quite a bit. I haven’t noticed patterns yet because I just started on the Omnipod on Tuesday. I was on Medtronic 630G and switched. I wasn’t logging my units of insulin before Tuesday because Glooko pulls straight from Omnipod - which is SO nice to be able to look at both G6 and Omnipod info in one place!!!
So as of Tuesday of last week my Endo has changed me from Fiasp U100 to Humulin R U500. She gave me what my settings should be for my pump based off the settings I was doing soooo well with. Now I don’t know the formula to make my own tweaks to get my blood sugars to get into a better percentage in range again. And I’m finding I don’t respond as quickly to the Humulin to bring my numbers down. This is SO VERY frustrating!!!
@EGreen76 If your doctor doesn’t give you the forumula she used …
Since you have what your rates were before, write them down. Then, check the current rates and match them (the time) to the previous rates. You may be able to see the pattern/forumla. You could post the rates here too and I’m sure someone would look at it with you.
Humulin R is a “short” acting insulin, Fiasp is a “rapid” (for some, “ultra” rapid) acting insulin. The short-acting insulin will have a longer onset, peak, and duration than the rapid-acting insulin. So a correction with Humulin R will definitely take longer to work than a correction with Fiasp.
